Another Lemon Drop to make stakes debut in Lecomte

NEW ORLEANS – After routing nonwinners-of-two optional-claiming company at a mile Dec. 19, the 2-year-old colt Another Lemon Drop is headed to the Lecomte for his stakes debut, trainer Phil Bauer said.

The Lecomte, a Grade 3 race Jan. 17 at a mile and 70 yards, is the first stakes prep for the Louisiana Derby.

“The timing’s perfect,” said Bauer, who trains Another Lemon Drop for Richard and Tammy Rigney’s Rigney Racing. “We’re excited about this horse.”

A son of Lemon Drop Kid and the King of Kings mare ShytoeLafeet, Another Lemon Drop was a $130,000 yearling purchase at the 2013 Keeneland September sale. He has won 2 of 4 starts, and Bauer said he has improved with each race.

The colt ran on turf in his first two races, finishing fourth in a 1 1/16-mile race Sept. 19 at Churchill Downs and winning a 1 1/8-mile race Oct. 24 at Keeneland.

Although Another Lemon Drop is bred to handle turf, Bauer said his main reason for starting him on turf was that it’s easier to find route maiden races for 2-year-olds on turf than on dirt.

“He’s still a big kid,” Bauer said. “We figured distance would match his pedigree.”

On Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs, Another Lemon Drop cut back to a one-turn mile for his first dirt start. He finished third in a first-level optional-claiming race, 8 3/4 lengths behind the winner, Dortmund, who went on to win the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity last weekend. After the race, Bauer said jockey Calvin Borel told him: “This is a nice horse. I’ll find a way to ride him.”

The Fair Grounds race was written for turf but switched to a sloppy main track. With Borel aboard, Another Lemon Drop settled off the early pace, moved smoothly along the rail to grab the lead on the final turn, and kicked clear to win by five lengths in 1:39.12.

“He’s doing everything right at the right time,” Bauer said. “More distance is only going to help the horse. He took the kickback. He showed a few gears.”

Bauer, 29, said he went out on his own a little more than a year ago after spending about six years as an assistant to trainer Ken McPeek. Training privately for the Rigneys, Bauer has eight of their horses at Fair Grounds.

“It’s a dream come true to be in the position I am,” said Bauer, who entered this racing week with 9 career wins from 53 starts.